One Who Washes The Blood Away
by Gabriel Nichole
Summary: They all have blood on their hands. They all have sins on their shoulders. But only one of them is unaffected.


Kat: I wrote this on a whim, so I hope you all like it. And I hope it's good. …I feel terrible right now, so I apologize if I'm not so happy-go-lucky at the moment. Enjoy my fanfic, please.

One Who Wash's The Blood Away

Blood. It drenched their hands through to the bone.

Another battle ended. Any fifty or so enemies killed. More blood spilled…

Sanzo gazed down at his hands. He use's a _gun._ His hands shouldn't be this red. Red with the blood of his enemies…red like the blood of his companions…red…like his masters blood…. He stalked over to a nearby pond and began scrubbing. But try as he might, the blood was still there.

Hakkai sighed as he tried in vain to brush the blood off his hands. It was his own fault really, his chi-gong technique's flung the blood of his enemies everywhere, it was only natural that some would get on him. And he knew he could slap and scrape at his hands all he wanted, the blood just wouldn't come off.

Gojyo growled as he noted his blood drenched hands…neck, face, chest…but those he could ignore. But his hands…they were right in front of him. Always there to remind him that he was a murderer. He had once heard Sanzo say that life was like a cigarette. And he was beginning to feel, as he desperately tried to shake his hands free of the blood, that his lungs were about to give out.

Hakkai and Gojyo strode over to the pond Sanzo sat by and also began scrubbing at their hands. But the blood remained. Sanzo growled in frustration and he began practically clawing at his own hands to get the blood off. Hakkai tried to smile, but felt his panic growing at the blood that remained on his hands. Gojyo grunted angrily, taking to more vicious scrubbing like Sanzo, wondering why the hell the blood stayed where it was.

They tried and tried but the blood of their sins didn't wash away.

Sanzo closed his eyes in silent meditation, Hakkai's chest began heaving as he took in large amounts of air as subtly as he could in an attempt to calm his nerves, and Gojyo bite down hard on his lower lip.

"_A person's like is like a cigarette…_

Sanzo growled as the sound of Jikaku's voice filled his mind's ears. Old man…

…_once it's burned out, well…_

Hakkai started slightly, before realizing Sanzo's voice was only in his mind. Sanzo…

…_it turns to smoke and disappears."_

Gojyo rolled his eyes, never faltering in his scrubbing. Stupid monk…

"_Bearing the burden of taking life…_

Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo all clenched their eyes shut.

…_it's like inhaling the smoke into your lungs."_

'_Master…Shuei...Dougan…Hazel…everyone at the temple…all the demon's I've killed for selfish reasons…'_

'_Kanan…Shien…Chin Yisu…the people of the Hyakugan Mau clan…all the demons I've killed out of hate…'_

'_Mother…Han…Kinkaku…Ginkaku…Zennon…Kami-sama…all the demons I've killed out of anger…'_

"_Can you bear it?"_

'_I'm suffocating…' _This thought ran through all their heads and their throats closed on them. They couldn't bear the blood on their hands. _'Who would forgive our sins?'_

"_But blood can be washed off!"_

Goku's voice. Purple, green, and red eyes flew open. Goku's voice filled their ears. Goku, who's shoulder's were more full than any of theirs.

"_Homura…Konzen…Tenpou…Kenren…Nataku…Li Touten…most of the gods in Tenkai…Shion…Gato…all the demons I've killed out of need for a reason to live…"_

"G-Goku…" No one was sure who called out the name, but all sure it had the same meaning to it. A plea for help…a plea for salvation…

"No matter what happens..." Goku's voice was calm as he stooped beside Sanzo and began gently washing the blood off the elder man's hands. It came off easily under Goku's fingers, and soon there was nothing but the white of Sanzo's skin on his hand. Goku then moved to Hakkai and Gojyo, blood coming off as easily as Sanzo's had. He then stood and began running towards Hakuryuu.

"Blood can be washed away!" he called.

--

Goku whooped in victory. Another battle, done! He turned and waved at his friends, hands dripping with blood.

"Haha! I got more than you!" he hollered. Suddenly Sanzo was upon him, dragging him towards a pond. "S-Sanzo?!" Goku exclaimed.

Sanzo said nothing as he knelt down, dragging Goku with him. He said nothing as he dipped Goku's hand under the water. He said nothing as the blood began stripping off as soon as the water surrounded it. He said nothing as he gently massaged the rest of it off. Then he finally turned to Goku.

"You're to pure to have the weight of sins on your shoulders. Keep them your hands clean of blood, and keep your lungs free of smoke." he said. Hakkai and Gojyo walked up, and Hakkai smiled genuinely at Goku.

"Yes. After all, if you get sullied, who will be the one to save us?" he asked teasingly. Gojyo grinned.

"Yup, exactly. Now, will you help me wash the blood away?"

--

Jiroshin shook his head.

"They're just using the poor boy as a means to relieve their sins." he growled. "And stupid monkey, he does. Doesn't he know the consequences?!" Kanzeon smirked.

"Oh? I believe he does." she said lazily. "Though I'm not sure they realize what they've done." Jiroshin shook his head angrily.

"What they're done is dump their sins on his shoulders! They may be purified, but now Goku is the one who will take the weight of their sins down to hell!" he snapped. "If Goku truly understands this, then why does he…?!" Kanzeon laughed.

"Oh he understands. And I believe he knows that as soon as those sins touch him, they'll disappear." she said. "I also believe he's smug about it, the little brat." Jiroshin looked at her quizzically.

"But, Milady, how can he make sins disappear? He is a mere heretical itan, he doesn't have that power…" he said. Kanzeon shook her head.

"You are a fool Jiroshin. After all…" Kanzeon said, gazing down at Goku's image through her pond. "A soul as black as a midnight sky with no stars or moon can't be sullied any further. And a soul as white as the heat of the sun can't be sullied at all. And one who has both is untouchable. He is both the ultimate evil and the greatest good. He is the one created by our great Mother Earth and shunned by her people. He is the one who wash's the blood away."

End

Kat: This is about how I've noticed that Goku is the one with no real problem with the blood on his hands, or the sins on his shoulders. Please tell me how you liked it, and if there is anything I can improve on. Oh, and what Kanzeon meant by 'as white as the heat of the sun' is that I've heard people say things like 'white-hot' like that. It's supposed to be the hottest of hots or something. 'Nyway, review please.


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